Carton opening device



A ril 20, 1965 A; J LURIE 3,178,312

CARTON OPENING DEVICE Filed Nov. 19, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

April 20, 1965 A. J LURIE 3,178,812

CARTON OPENING DEVICE Filed Nov. 19, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

April 20, 1965 A. .1. LURIE CARTON OPENING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 19, 1962 INVENTOR:

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April 20, 1965 A. J LURIE CARTON OPENING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 19, 1962 INVENTOR. .Ma

April 20, 1965 A. J LURIE CARTON OPENING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 19, 1962 k m. V m

United States Patent Ofiice 3,178,812 Patented Apr. 20, 1985 3,178,812 CARTGN OPENING DEVICE August J. Lurie, 7018 35th St., Bel-Wyn, 111. Filed Nov. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 242,033 9 Claims. (Cl. 30-2) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 210,096, filed July 16, 1962, and now abandoned.

The present invention relates to carton opening devices adapted to open a paperboard carton in such manner as to expose the contents for marking and removal, and in particular, to such devices incorporating means to protect the contentsof the carton against damage during the opening operation, and the user against injury.

This invention constitutes an improvement over the similar devices of my prior Patents Nos. 2,128,151, dated August 23, 1938; 2,187,590, dated January 16, 1940, and 2,978,807, dated April 11, 1961.

The continuing and ever increasing use of heavy paperboard cartons in the shipment of goods in commerce is well known. This is especially true with respect to canned and packaged foods. In order that such heavy cartons be used economically, the glue sealing the flaps is of the .least expensive type, and makes such cartons almost impossible to open by separating the glued surfaces from one another. This is advantageous from the shippers stand- .point, since the carton will not be inadvertently opened, but it. presents ,a serious problem when the cartons are received at the retail outlets and have to be opened so that the contents may be marked and placed on the shelves 'for sale.

The devices of my previously mentioned patents have found widespread use in enabling such cartons to be opened with a minimum of effort and time on the part of the stock boys, but unless the cutting blade was precisely positioned with'respect to the guiding flanges, it sometimes occurred that the contents of the carton were (damaged. For example, where the contents comprise a number of small paperboard packages, usually of appreciablylight Weight paperboard for the packaging of detergents, soaps, breakfast foods, and the like, the cutter blade, if projected too far, would cut and damage one or ;more of theseinnercartons or packages, which then could notbe sold, resulting in a loss to the market operator.

3 Also, the projecting corner of the sharp cutting blade -was a'source of possible injury to the user.

It is therefore a principal object of the present inventionto provide a new and improved carton opening device y of the type incorporating a projecting cutting blade, l1aving a guard which may be inserted to the inner face of :the carton to be opened, thereby to prevent contact be- ;tween the carton-severing blade and the contents of the 'carton.

2 Another object is toprovidc a new and improved carton :ope'ningjdevice of the type incorporating a projecting cutting blade, having a removable guard lying beyond the cutting corner of the blade.

1 Another object is to provide a new and improved carton opening device of the type incorporating a projecting .cutting blade guard which also functions as a guide on the inner surface of the carton. j Another object is to provide a new and improved carton opening device wherein there are provided a guide for slidingalong the outer surface of the carton, a guide and ;blade guard for sliding along the inner surface of the carton, and the two maintain the blade at an angle other @than normal to the carton wall being cut.

: Other objects and advantages of this invention will be- ;come apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. l is an elevational view of the carton opening device of the present invention, showing it applied to a heavy paperboard carton depicted in dot-dash lines;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the forward or the cutting end of the device, with the blade removed, show ing the relationship of the parts and the guard;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cutting blade;

FIG. 6 is an exploded elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 1, illustrating the parts and their relation to one another;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the forward or cutting end of the device of a modified construction;

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view, taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the guard and mounting portion thereof incorporated in the modified form of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is an exploded elevational view, similar to FIG. 6, of another form of the device;

FIG. 11 is an elevational view of the forward end of the carton opening device shown in FIG. 10, showing the manner in which it is applied to the carton;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line 12-12 of FIG. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 13 is a view or" the forward end of a cutting device of the type shown in FIG. 10, but a further modification thereof; 4 v j FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the guide and mounting portion of the modification shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is an eievational view similar to FIG. 1 showing another modification of the carton opening device;

FIG. 16 is a front end view of the carton opening device of FIG. 15, looking at it from the left side of FIG. 15; I V s FIG. 17 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 17-17 of FIG. 16 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FTG. 18 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 18-18 of FIG. 15, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 19 is an exploded elevational view of the device shown, in FIG. 15, illustrating the parts and their relation to one another; and

acter 20 indicates the carton opening device in its entirety, and it comprises a handle 22 having a grip portion 24 and a blade securing portion 25, .a bladezii, a. stud 30,

thumb nut 32, and washers 34, the latter three elements clamping the blade in operative position.

The handle 22 is comprised of a pair of complementally shaped halves 36 and 38 which are pivotally interconnected at their outer ends by a hollowrivet 40. At the blade mounting end 26 of the handle 22, the'ends are alternately provided with male 4-2 and female 44 portions laterally offset from the normal plane of the halves, to define a blade. receiving passage or recess 46 therebetween. The blade 28 is confined therein as seen in FIGS. .1 and 4, and has a corner projecting beyond the halves 36 and 38, as shown most clearly in FIG. 1. The offset malefemale portions provide shoulders to prevent the blade 28 from shifting in the passage or recess.

The blade 28 is provided with a square aperture 48 at its center, and the handle halves 36 and 38 are similarly formed with square apertures 50 and 52, respectively, all

to receive the squared shank portion 54 of the stud 30, thereby further accurately locating the blade in the passageway 46 with the proper exposure of its, corner, as shown in FIG. 1. I a

The handle portions 36 and 38 are'also respectively provided with slightly curved guiding flanges 56 and 58 which are adapted to ride upon the outer surface of the carton being opened. These facilitate the easy sliding movement of the cutting device along the surface of the cartonand assist in properly positioning the projecting corner of the cutting blade with respect to the carton. V

The handle 22 is formed with a guard 60, the position and function of which are best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The guard 60 comprises a blade 62 having a'curl ed 'or' beadedforward end 64 which is adapted. to be inserted FIG. 2, the blade 62 is offset laterally from a forwardly projecting portion 66 of the handle half 38. The projecting portion is bent at 68 and recessed at 70 so that vent the corner of the blade from coming into contact with the boxes, cans, or packages of goods contained within the'carton, thereby preventing inadvertent damagethereto. In use, the blade 62 is inserted into the interior of the carton by piercing the wall or top thereof adjacent a corner, and then drawing the carton opening device from left to right (FIG. 1) along the wall or top in the manner def scribed in my aforementioned patents. The guard blade" 62 will slide between the inner surface of the carton wall 'into the interior of the carton. As most clearly seen in. r

and the carton contents, thus acting as an inner guide, 3

while the cutting blade. 28 will neatly and cleanly sever the topor carton wall, thereby, opening the carton with no damage whatsoever to the contents. j

A modified form of this invention is shown in FIGS.

. guide and guard:60.

'handle extension '92 provides substantial clearance for- 7-9, wherein similar parts are given similar reference a characters, and to the extent that the carton opening 'device is'the same as that previously described, it will not be redescribed.

tegral with the handle half 38, is a separate unit so that it maybe incorporated, for example, into the carton opening device. of.my prior patents 2,187,590 and 2,978,807. I

The guard 60 is formed as a part of a supplemental generally rectangular element 72 having a squared aperture 74 therein adapted to be received on the squared portion of thestud 30 and to befclamped into the sandwich of elements in the manner shown in FIG; 8. The mounting element is adaptedtofit into the recess 76 in the outer face of the element 38 at'its" forward end, ,and it .has a curved edge portion 78 arranged to seatagainst the rear face of theguide flange 58; The mounting member '72 in-- cludes a forwardly projectingportion ,80-which is olfset tion to inadvertently damaging the smaller packages enclosed within the carton, is turning the corner and simultaneously protecting the contents. The form of carton opening device shown in FIGS. 10 through'14jis particularly well adapted for solution 'of this problem. Its principal differences from'the forms of FIGS. 1 to 9 are the omission of the exterior surface guides 56 and 58, providing somewhat moreclearance to accommodate the carton material at the corner interiorly of theinner guide and guard 60, and providing a somewhat H10I6',1'011Ild6(ll68ding nose on the guard. v

The inner guide and guardf60 comprises a generally triangular blade90,. with the apex of the triangle at a forward extension 92 of the handle'half 36. It will be observed from FIG. 12 that the blade90 is substantially. centrally located with respect to the extension 92,-whi'ch has. an olfsetshoulder-J94fto limit thefo'rward. or outward movementof the cutting blade 28.; The guide blade 90 is curved inwardly or toward the'ha'ndle and the corner of the'blade 28 at 96,.and terminates in a. wide inwardly rolled nose portion 98 which facilitates sliding. of the blade along the inner surface of the carton, affords additional protection against damage to thecarton contents,

and assists in turning the corner by providing a rounded surface which presents'various line contacts with the corner and adjacent carton inner wall surfaces, thereby preventing gouging of thevinner surface of the carton wall by the blade 90 and insuring a smooth even movement as the corner is met and turned.

' It will be noted from FIG. 14 that thetextension 92 is aligned with the blade28 so that the guard 60 and its blade 90 are centrally located with respect to the knife and the knife blade 28. 5

The handle halves 36 and 38 are provided with rectangular, slots 50a and 52a, respectively, to .receive the bolt 30and to permit'slight adjustment of the position of thecutting blade 28 relative to the handle and to the It should also be noted that the wardly of the blade 28 to accommodate the carton material, particularly when turning the corners.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show the guard 60 with, its blade 90*applied to an attachment of the general type shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, wherein thebody 72 is bolted to In this modification the guard 60, instead'ofgbeingfin-j1 the exterior of thehandle by means of the bolt 30 and 'projects forwardly thereof and beyond the cutting corner of the'kn ife blade 28 to assumethe positionshown ly with-respect to the knife blade 28 so that it is properly 'positioned'to assist in guarding the contents of the carton, and to facilitate turning "the corners when the car- -ton opening knife approaches a corner and has to be curved end 98 on the blade 90 can" take various forms.

In addition to that specificallyv shown in FIGS. 10 to 14, 1 1t. may be a. solidelement formed integrally with the blade. or attached thereto.

curved to presenta rounded surface to assist in moving is needed to accommodate the condition that the guard is,

mounted on the outside of the sandwich of elements, while in the first described form itwas formed integrally further modifications of the carton opening device. The

reference characters whichhave' heretofore been used in' describing the parts in FIGS. 1 through 9 will be'used in describing FIGS. 10 through 14. 1

One problem encounteredin opening cartons,.in,additurned therearound.

" It should be observed, however, that the curled or It is important that itbe the guide and guard 60 interiorly of the carton without digging' into the canon walls, and without in. any way 'damaging'the carton contents. i

Still another modification of :the carton opening device 20. is shown in FIGS; 15'-' through wherein the referencecharacters previously used are used to designate the same or similar parts. This form retains the advantages clann'edfor'th'e modifications ofFIGS. 10

certainly guided, and

are integral, respective1y, with head portions 100 and 102,

which have square apertures 50b and. 52b adapted to I receive the squaredshank 54 of the stud30. I. The porthe handle is made.

.ton by the blade 28b.

- ton wall.

'toface relationto align the apertures 50b and 52b and the portion 102 is offset to provide on its inner face a blade'receiving channel, passage or'recess 104 to receive cutting blade 28b; The blade 28b is similar to the blade -28 (FIG. 5) and has asecuring and aligning aperture 4812, but at its ends it is angularly cut away at 106 for reasons which will become apparent hereinafter.

The head portion ltltl has formed integrally therewith 'an'outer carton surface guide 108 of relatively large area is rnoved through the carton from left to right (FIG.

and the guide 108 at its leading and outer edges is up turned at 112 to provide a curved leading edge which 'will not gouge into the paper board of the carton and step movement of the opening device.

. 1 Thehead portion 1112 has formed integrally there- 'with an inner carton surface guide and contents guard 114. 'The guide and guard 114is formed by notching the head portion at 116 and bending along the joint line 118 to bring the guide and guard 114 into general parallelism with the outerguide'108. At its forward edge the guide and guard isformed with a rolled bead 120 or the like ,to'prevent gouging the cartons contents or the car- ;ton .wall which would prevent the smooth and uninterrupted movement of the guide and guard along the carton wall. The guide and-guard 114 is slightly curved at 121 so that edge of the beadlZO and the innermost (from the carton standpoint) portion of the guide and guard 114 lie in the same plane. This permits, the guard and guide 114 to slide between the carton wall and carton contents in a tightly packed carton.

It will be observed from FIGS. 15, 16 and 19 that the head portion 102 is ofiset inwardly at 122 a distance about equal to the thickness of-the metal from which This offset 122 isat the lower end of the blade receiving channel 104 and is for the purpose of aligning in the same plane the blade 28!; and

lower .portion124 of the. head portion .182. It is the portion, 124 that slides through the cut made in the car- FIGS. 16 to 18 show that the guide andthe guide and guard 114 are generally parallel and are vertically spaced apart a distance not appreciably greater than the thickness of the heaviest paperboard stock conventionally used in shipping such things as foods, soaps, detergents and the like. This thickness is about inch. These figures also show that the guide 108 and guide and guard 114 are laterally offset so that they are not opposed to one another on the outer and inner surfaces of the car- This oflset positioning of the guides prevents binding between the carton opening device and the paperboard stock and facilitates turning the corners between adjacent side Walls or between the top or bottom and a side wall.

The angular arrangement of the handle 22 accommodates the horizontal offsetting of the guide 1118 and the guide and guard 114. It has also been found the angular arrangement of the handle is comfortable for the user and permits a clearer view of the cutter blade 28b as it slices through the carton walls.

As previously noted the blade 28b is cut away at 106. As seen in FIG. 15 this permits the cutting edge of the blade to project to the guide and guard 114, if desired, and to have it in the same plane as the portion 124 of the head. FIGS. 17 and 18 clearly show that with this arrangement the users hands and clothing are fully protected against contact with the blade 28!).

Inasmuch as the use of the form of the carton opening device 26 is essentially the same as the prior described forms, the use and operation will not be redescribed.

The form shown in FIG. 20 is essentially the same as 6 that shown in FIGS. 15 to 19 and described immediately above, except that the inner guide and guard 1140 is generally flat and protecting bead 1200 is formed on its upper face rather than the lower face. It should be understood that the beads 118 and 1200 may be formed as a solid integral or soldered on roll, if desired.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the objectives which Were claimed for this device at the outset of this specification have been fully attained.

While preferred embodiments of the carton opening device constituting my invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be apparent that numerous modifications and variations thereof may be made without-departing from the underlying principles of'the invention. It is therefore desired, by the following claims, to include within the scope of my invention all such modifications and variations by which substantially the results of my invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent means.

What I claim as new and desire to secureby United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a device for opening heavy paperboard cartons having a cutting blade, a handle to carry said blade, said handle being formed of complementally shaped halves with each handle half being formed to provide a'b-lade retaining passage when said halves are aligned, each of said'halves having a bulged portion at one end to form a grip and a laterally disposed guide flange at the other end, and a clamping screw to retain said blade between said halves and said halves inaligned position with a corner of said blade projecting beyondsaid guide flanges to cutting position, the improvement comprising, a bladelike guard secured to said halves by said clamping screw .lying slightly beyond and across the'exposed corner of said blade and in a plane perpendicular to 'the'plane'of said blade and parallel to theplane of said guide flanges to protect the contents of the carton against damage during the carton opening operation. e

2. In a device for opening heavy paperboard cartons having a cutting blade, a handle having a blade receiving recess formed therein, and means for securing said blade in said recess with a corner of said'blade projecting beyond said handle to cutting position, the improvement comprising, a generally triangularly shaped ibladelike guide and guard carried by said handle lying slightly beyond and across the exposed corner 'of saidcutting blade to protect thecontents of the carton againstdamage during the carton opening operation with the base of'said triangularly shaped guide and guard forming the leading edge thereof, and said guide and guard being formed to provide a curled nose across said leading edge base of its generally triangular shape to facilitate movement of said guide and guard on the inner surface of the carton and around the corners therein.

3. In a device for opening heavy paperboard cartons having a cutting blade, a handle to carry said blade, said handle being formed of complementally shaped halves and defining therebetween a blade receiving passage when said halves are aligned, each of said halves having a bulged portion at one end to form a grip, and a clamping screw to retain said blade between said halves and said halves in aligned position with a corner of said blade projecting from said passage to cutting position, the improvement comprising, an outer carton surface guide projecting outwardly from one of said handle halves, and an inner carton surface bladelike guide and guard carried by the other of said halves in a position slightly beyond and across the exposed corner of said blade to protect the contents of the carton against damage during the carton opening operation.

4. In a device for opening heavy paperboard cartons having a cutting blade, a handle to carry said blade, said handle being formed of complementally shaped halves and defining therebetween a blade receiving passage when said halves are aligned, each of said halves having a bulged portion at one end to form a grip, and a clamping 'screw to retain said blade between said halves and said halves in aligned position with a corner of said blade projecting from said passage to cutting position, the improvement comprising, an outer carton surface guide projecting outwardly from one of said handle halves, and e a bladelike inner carton surface guide and contents guard carried by the other of said halves in a position slightly beyond and across the exposed corner of saidblade to protect the contents of the carton against damage during the carton opening operation, said outer carton surface guide and said inner carton surface guide and contents guard being generally parallel and vertically spaced.

5. In a devicefor opening" heavy paperboard cartons having a cutting blade, a handle to carry said blade," said handle being formed of complementally shaped halves and defining therebetween a blade receiving passage when said halves are aligned, each of said halves having a'bulged portion at one end to form a grip, and a clamping screw to retainsaid blade between said halves and said halves in aligned position with a corner of said blade projecting ag; regs 12 from said passage to cutting position, the improvement comprising, an outer carton surface guideprojecting out: a

wardly from one of said handle halves, and a bladelike inner carton surface guide and contents guard carried by the other of said halves in a position slightly beyond and across thev exposed corner of said blade to protect the contents of the carton against damage during the carton opening operation, said outer carton surface: guide and said inner carton surface guide and contents guard being horizontally oifset so as totlessen the possibility of binding between the carton opening device and the paperboard of 'the carton.

6. In a device for opening heavy paperboard cartons having a cutting blade, a handle to carry said blade, said handle being formed of complementally shaped halves and defining therebetween a blade receiving passage when said halves are aligned, each of said halves having a bulged during the carton opening operation-said outer car-ton surface guide and said inner carton surface guide and contents guard being generally parallel and vertically spaced, said outer carton surface guide andtsaid inner carton 'surfa'ceguide-and contents guard being horizontally oifset so ;as to lessen the possibility of binding be tween the carton opening device and the paperboard of thecarton.

' 7, A device as claimed in claim 6,;wherein' said angle is inthe range between55 and 65. 5 V 8. A device as claimed in claim ,6, wherein said angle is about 670. p T 9. In a 'device for opening heavy paperboard cartons having a'cutting blade, a handle having a blade receiving 15 recess formed therein, "and means for securing said blade in said recess with a corner of said blade projecting beyond said handle to cuttingposition, the improvement comprising, abladelike guard and guide carried by, said handle on a platelike member,-tsaidvplatelike member extending beyond the end of the handle in the same direction as the cutting edge of said cutting blade projects, said bladelike guard and guide being positioned at an angle to said platelike member to lie slightly beyond and across the exposed corner of said cutting blade toprotect the contents of the carton against damage during thefcarton Op ning operation, andsaid platelike member being offset to a positionin alignment with the projecting end of said cutting blade to bring that portion of said platelike mema I ber whichextends through aslit cut in the carton into the same. plane as the cutting blade so as to facilitate movement of the opening device during the carton opening portion at one end to form a grip, and a clamping screw v to retain said blade betwen said halves andsaid halves in aligned position with a corner of said blade projecting o and a bladelike inner carton surface guide and contents slightly beyond and acrossthe exposed corner of said blade to protect'the contents of the carton against darn'age' from said passage to cutting position, the improvement comprising, anouter carton surface guide projecting out wardly at anacute angle from One of said handle halves, 45' guard carried by'the other of said halves in a position j a Fisher 30-2 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.- 

1. IN A DEVICE FOR OPENING HEAVY PAPERBOARD CARTONS HAVING A CUTTING BLADE, A HANDLE TO CARRY SAID BLADE, SAID HANDLE BEING FORMED TO COMPLEMENTARY SHAPED HALVES WITH EACH HANDLE HALF BEING FORMED TO PROVIDE A BLADE RETAINING PASSAGE WHEN SAID HALVES ARE ALIGNED, EACH OF SAID HALVES HAVING A BULGED PORTION AT ONE END TO FORM A GRIP AND A LATERALLY DISPOSED GUIDE FLANGE AT THE OTHER END, AND A CLAMPING SCREW TO RETAIN SAID BLADE BETWEEN SAID HALVES AND SAID HALVES IN ALIGNED POSITION WITH A CORNER OF SAID BLADE PROJECTING BEYOND SAID GUIDE FLANGES TO CUTTING POSITION, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING, A BLADELIKE GUARD SECURED TO SAID HALVES BY SAID CLAMPING SCREW 